O'Neill Promises Summer Spending

Baton down the hatches, the opti's and the pessi's have further fuel to attack each other with as Martin O'Neill has promised an active summer in the transfer market!

In an interview with the Birmingham Mail, the Villa boss says he knows the team needs additions to build on the solid foundations.

'We'd definitely be looking to enhance the squad. We've put in a bedrock but now this club should be looking in that upward direction and keep going in that direction, not stuttering and standing. Now sometimes that happens, but the general direction of this football club should now be on the up. The point is, when we have people come to the club, I want them to battle to get into the side.'

It seems far more realistic to expect Villa to spend and spend big in the summer despite attempts during January. There will be far more players available as teams look to change things for the new season. An example of that was the report the other day that Rafa Benitez, who refused to let any player leave in January I believe, will be willing to let Peter Crouch, John Arne Riise and Harry Kewell leave. Both Crouch and Riise were linked to Villa.

He also says Villa is a big enough club to be able to 'carry a fairly substantial squad.'

Adding that he has faith and thinks the squad can do the job until the end of the season, hopefully getting us to Europe along the way!

'I could have signed six players and they could have all been injured but it would have meant a bit more safety in numbers. But if we want to try to compete properly, then you really do need a squad

Do we want quality or quantity? If the likes of Liverpool won't sell anyone, I am sure the same goes for other teams. The likes of Derby want to keep Barnes even though they are going down, they will get more in the summer. No-one other than Spuz and Chelski really bought big and Fulham had a few unknowns. I will want to be lining up behind Deano if we don't make Europe but if we do then you can't really argue with the MON.

Think of it what you will, but i've said it before and now he has no excuse. If things don't happen this summer, then I'm going to have to change my viewpoint on MON. This doesn't change my opinion of him so far, but this is a definite marker, as was last summer. The difference between this summer and last is that MON now has a real stamp on the team, it's his team.